This application claims a priority based on German application serial number 199 42 729.1, filed Sep. 8, 1999, and the contents of that application are incorporated herein by reference.
This invention relates to a control apparatus for a light unit of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, of a type having an electronic control unit to control the light unit, where the control unit has an Input/Output (I/O) interface for connection to a plurality of control and/or switching elements allocated to the light unit.
European Patent 624 495 B 1 discloses a control apparatus for a light unit of a vehicle, having an electronic control unit for controlling a light unit with several lamps. The electronic control unit is structured essentially as a circuit board which is inserted into an open side of a rectangularly-shaped receptacle and is locked there by a cover. The electronic control unit is connected to conductor leads of the lamps and serves only to turn them off and on in a controlled manner.
German Patent Application 196 00 638 A1 describes a control apparatus for a light unit of a vehicle having an electronic control unit for controlling the light unit. The electronic control unit is accommodated in a housing which is in turn attached to a cover cap of the light unit. To this end, a receptacle for the housing adapted to a shape of the cover cap is provided. A disadvantage of this known control apparatus is that mounting of the control unit on the light unit is relatively expensive and complicated. Furthermore, accessibility to the control unit is poor because it is attached to the cover cap from beneath.
In addition, European Patent Application 830 982 A2 describes a control apparatus for a light unit of a vehicle suitable for controlling other mechanical functions, for example of the light unit, in addition to the actual light function of the light unit. The electronic control unit has an I/O interface by means of which it is connected to a plurality of the control and switching devices assigned to the light unit. A disadvantage of this known control apparatus is that it serves only to control electrically operable functions allocated exclusively to the light unit.
It is an object of this invention to improve upon a control apparatus for a light unit of a vehicle such that firstly, functionality of an electronic control unit thereof is expanded, and secondly, the electronic control unit has a compact and space-saving structure, with attachment of the light unit being accomplished in such a way that good accessibility to the electronic control unit is assured.
According to principles of this invention, an electronic control unit of a control apparatus for a light unit of a vehicle, of the type mentioned in the opening paragraph above, is arranged in a housing that is detachably mounted in a receptacle of the light unit. A first contacting device is provided on a first side of the housing, for connecting the electronic control unit to a number of electric components integrated into the light unit, and, additionally, a second contacting device is provided on a second side of the housing, for connecting the electronic control unit to a number of additional electric components next to the light unit.
An advantage of the control apparatus of this invention is that first, an electronic control unit is arranged compactly in a housing that can be inserted into or removed from a receptacle, or container, of the light unit in a structure that provides maintenance access. On a first side, or end, the housing has a first contacting device for electric connection to a number of electric components integrated into the light unit, such as lamps, headlight beam adjusters, etc. In addition, the housing has a second contacting device for connecting the electronic control unit to a number of additional components outside of, or next to, the light unit. According to this invention, this makes it possible for additional local optical and/or electric accessories, such as a supplementary fog light and a supplementary fan, to be controlled. The second contacting device can also be used to advantage to connect the electronic control unit to a vehicle power network or to central components of the vehicle. The basic idea of this invention is to provide a decentralized or auxiliary, control unit in an area of the vehicle where space is limited, so that any electrically operated functions arranged in the vicinity thereof can be controlled by this control unit.
According to a special embodiment of this invention, the housing is mounted in a pocket-shaped receptacle of the light unit. The pocket-shaped receptacle is preferably structured to be open at the top, so that the housing can be mounted and dismounted therefrom easily.
According to an enhancement of this invention, the first contacting device is arranged in a floor area of the pocket-shaped receptacle so that a secure and protected contacting of the electronic control unit with the light unit can be achieved under the influence of weight force of the housing.
According to a further enhancement of this invention, the pocket-shaped receptacle is structured as a U-shaped holding part integrally formed or molded on a back side of the light unit. The height and width of the housing can thus be adapted advantageously to dimensions of the back side of the light unit so that the electronic control unit can then be mounted in a space-saving manner directly on the back of the light unit.
According to one embodiment of this invention, the housing is held with a snap-lock mechanisms in the pocket-shaped receptacle of the light unit. A plurality of contact elements of the second contacting device extend essentially flush with one side, or end, of the light unit and covers it. The contact elements preferably extend in pairs in a row completely over the second side of the housing, so that the second side of the housing is essentially completely covered after connecting the contact elements to a corresponding plug connector.